


Deserving

by masidoodles



Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, They read a book, slight PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-03 11:08:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24469993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/masidoodles/pseuds/masidoodles
Summary: A story in which Lio and Galo deserve each other. They have some rough nights.
Relationships: Lio Fotia/Galo Thymos
Comments: 10
Kudos: 109





	Deserving

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully this can provide some comfort to anyone who needs it. 
> 
> Companion picture in the end notes.
> 
> [[It's been 5 years since I wrote anything - please be kind lol]]

The first time, Lio awoke to a tiny squeeze of fear in his chest. His eyes shot open and he gasped through his nose, sharp inhale barely making it past the lump in his throat. The tiny choked sounds coming from the other side of the bed were the first thing to cause him to wake in a genuine panic since the second Great World Blaze. Lio came to his senses quickly, rolling over to his partner, huddled at the edge of the bed.

Normally Galo slept close to him, sometimes suffocatingly so. 

“ _Galo? Galo_ ,” he muttered, reaching his hand out to his shoulder, not even 100% sure whether the other man was awake. But the sounds he was making, he could be sick, or having trouble breathing, or --

When Galo turned to face him, shoulders pulled inward, his face was glistening with sweat, tears, and the moonlight filtering in through the window. Lio had never seen Galo Thymos, man of boundless confidence and positivity, look _terrified._ He felt his own face tighten and mouth turn down at the corners as he pulled Galo towards him, burying the other’s wet face under his chin.

Galo should never have to look like that.

" _Galo, Galo Galo,_ ” he repeated softly. " _Shh, it’s okay._ ” 

Silence from the other, but arms reached around him to clutch at the back of Lio’s shirt.

“Nightmare?” It wasn’t much of a question, but he wanted to make sure Galo wasn’t in pain.

A small nod jostled his chin. Lio just curled his arms softly around Galo’s head, gently pressing him in his chest, trying to resist the urge to squeeze him too hard to calm his own wrenched heart. This wasn’t about him.

It was about Galo. Galo was so good, he deserved better.

▽

Galo stopped quivering after...who knows how long. Twenty minutes? An hour? But his arms still clung weakly to Lio, breathing still unsteady. He wasn’t asleep.

△

Another half-hour or so later, Lio glanced at the clock, the man in his arms still holding on weakly. 

“...do you want to get up?” Lio finally spoke up again, voice slightly hoarse. Rather than clearing his throat (too loud), he sniffled lightly through his nose and swallowed. “Watch TV or something?”

Galo was silent. Lio gave him a little longer before adding another choice,

“Want me to read to you?”

He got a nod on that one, so Lio stretched back and tried to reach the book he’d left on the bedside table on his side of the bed. 

“Galo, I’m going to need you to let me go for a second.”

Galo finally semi-spoke up with a hoarse groan and allowed him to wriggle free. Lio flicked the lamp on low, grabbed the book, then reached out to Galo. 

“I don’t want you to fall off, come closer to the middle.”

After a few moments of rearranging, a couple of failed attempts at spooning with a book involved, and one book spine to the bridge of Lio’s nose (ow), they settled; Galo on his front, head resting on Lio’s stomach, arms over his torso, lower half sprawled across the rest of the bed. He was by no means light, but somehow the solid weight of Galo’s head on Lio’s stomach helped to ground him. Galo was technically facing him, but his face was half-buried in Lio’s shirt and what was left was covered by his mop of blue hair. Lio watched for a moment as his own breaths caused Galo’s head to very slightly rise and fall. 

Lio grabbed the blanket to the right of him and swung his arm, half-succeeding in covering both of them before holding the book up, making sure his arms weren’t resting on Galo.

“From the middle okay?”

Galo nodded again, the soft chafe of the damp cotton of Lio’s shirt rubbing against his stomach. Lio started reading aloud, keeping his tone and volume low, trying to be soothing. 

Galo was out within 5 minutes. 

⟁⟁⟁

The second time, Galo woke up and couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t remember what had happened, but it had been hot, smelled like smoke, and Kray was there. In the past, the latter’s presence might have served some sort of comfort but now? He only added fuel to the fire.

He was too shaken even to grimace at his brain’s poor excuse for a joke.

After a moment he inhaled sharply, barely catching his breath before this time as well, Lio’s hand was on him in an instant. Soft, gentle, the cold tips of his fingers a welcome relief. Galo’s gut twisted, mind trying to sort through the residual fear and the guilt, embarrassment, and admiration for his partner’s empathy. 

“Galo.”

His heart hurt. This was the second time he’d woken Lio. Lio deserved better, and Galo didn’t deserve him.

“You’re okay, Galo, _shhh_.”

His chest clenched tighter, tears failing to stop the light from seeping through his eyelids. Lio had clicked the lamp on. 

“Come here, I’ll read to you.” Cool fingertips through his hair, rubbing into his scalp. 

Despite the emotional cocktail still wringing his stomach, Galo was helpless and in no place to refuse. 

He turned and tried to avoid eye contact. Lio, kindly, let him. Galo rested his head on his partner’s stomach again and took a deep breath of Lio’s scent; fabric softener and some floral soap.

▽

Lio’s hands stayed on Galo until he had settled, stroking through his hair, swiping his tears away across his cheeks, cupping his jawline gently. 

Then he started reading. Galo felt his eyes water a little harder at first, overwhelmed by the relief from Lio’s deep voice and just the kindness of the act itself. Once he had gained control of his tear ducts again, Galo peered up at Lio through his hair. The soft movement of his chin, the fluttering of his eyelashes as he blinked, slow movements still riddled with sleep. 

Lio’s voice was beautiful, nearly rumbling it was so low, soft in his ears. Galo yawned. Lio yawned too. 

The last thing Galo remembered that night was hearing Lio’s stomach make a small gurgling sound and laughing one soft exhale out his nose. 

⟁⟁⟁

The third time, Lio woke Galo. A sharp cry, short gasps, sweat. Tears. Galo looked over at Lio sitting straight up in the bed. Eye contact after a moment.

Galo lunged, large warm hands spread across Lio’s back, frame smothering him, arms roping him close.

“Lio.”

Choked breath. " _Galo._ ”

Galo let up after a moment, arms holding himself up above his partner. Lio’s eyes were bloodshot, glassy, face tight. Galo just looked pained. 

Large hands reached for the bedside table, clicked the light on. Grabbed the book. 

Without a word they rearranged; Lio on his side, head on Galo’s stomach.

“‘s hard,” Lio muttered. Hoarse. 

Galo chuckled weakly and pulled Lio closer, littering his face with kisses before moving him so that his head was sort of leaning on his chest instead. Lio seemed satisfied.

“Top of this page?”

“Don’t care,” Lio muttered, watching Galo, eyes already half lidded. 

Galo began to read. Lio only lasted about 3 minutes.

**Author's Note:**

> Drew a pic, Galo wound up looked sad. Accompanying pic on my twitter [here](https://twitter.com/masidoodles/status/1267035526621626369?s=20)
> 
> You can find me on Twitter @masidoodles


End file.
